After listening to Fan Jingwen's explanation, Chongzhen was not satisfied with the plan proposed by Xu Guangqi.
If the land was distributed to the princes, the clan salary would be abolished at the same time.
Then the connection between the princes and the emperor became less and less.
The court’s ability to control these people became increasingly weak.
If several of these princes unite to cause trouble, the Ming Dynasty will face another disaster.
One more thing.
Although he wanted to reduce the power of the feudal lords, he did not intend to turn them into commoners.
The privileges that should be given should still be given.
If the privileges of the feudal lords were reduced, the loyalty of the military generals would become a problem.
A military general's destiny is to become a noble.
The rank of the nobles cannot be compared with that of the princes.
If you weaken the feudal lords today, you will weaken the nobles tomorrow.
Will the generals still be loyal?
Obviously not.
But if the land is not divided, how can the feudal lords be reduced?
The annual salary of six million taels from the princes and clans accounted for nearly one-third of the Ming Dynasty's expenditure.
This issue must be addressed.
Chongzhen sat on the dragon throne and pondered.
Fan Jingwen and Fang Yuegong gave advice and suggestions, and the king and his ministers began to discuss.
After three days of discussion, no conclusion was reached.
Chongzhen was anxious, and Fan Jingwen was even more anxious.
There were a lot of things waiting for him to deal with in the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Works.
He gets up early here every day and goes back before dark, which delays a lot of official business.
If he delays any further, the Censors of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Engineering and the Censorate will submit impeachment petitions against him.
He has always cared about his reputation and doesn't want it to be damaged because of this incident.
On the afternoon of the third day, Fan Jingwen finally couldn't stand it anymore.
He bowed deeply to Chongzhen and said, "Your Majesty, I have a plan."
Chongzhen pretended to be surprised at first, then the corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing a calm smile.
He finally made Fan Jingwen, the old fox, tell the truth.
Before this, he had been acting perfunctorily in order to protect himself.
In fact, Chongzhen understood him very well. After all, no one wanted to be stuck with the dog-skin plaster of the vassal kings and royal family.
"Minister Fan, please have some tea first and then talk slowly. I'm not in a hurry." Chongzhen said with a fake smile.
Fan Jingwen had no mood to drink tea at all. He said directly: "Your Majesty, reducing the power of the vassal states cannot be done overnight. It will take about ten years to complete it step by step."
"oh
Fan Jingwen's words surprised Chongzhen a little. What kind of plan would take ten years to complete?
"Ten years are divided into two five-year periods," Fan Jingwen continued. "The first five years are for investigation, and the second five years are for reduction."
"Take your time to talk." Chongzhen waved his hand and asked Wang Chengen to leave.
It’s not that he doesn’t trust Wang Chengen, but he is afraid that Wang Chengen’s continued stay here will affect Fan Jingwen’s thinking.
Only the emperor and his minister were left in the huge Qianqing Palace.
Fan Jingwen had no more worries and said confidently: "The first one is divided into two stages."
"The first stage is to investigate the property status of each prince's mansion from both the open and hidden perspectives."
"The court sent people to investigate the land and find out how much land they had occupied and how much tax they had evaded."
"Your Majesty has sent the Imperial Guards to investigate in secret to find out how much money and grain each royal palace has."
Chongzhen narrowed his eyes and asked, "The purpose of checking the money and grain is...?"
Fan Jingwen said with a serious expression: "The purpose of checking the money and grain is to prevent them from rebelling. Wars are fought over money and grain. If a vassal king wants to rebel, he will definitely hoard money and grain in advance."
"What next?" Chongzhen personally came to Fan Jingwen and poured him a cup of tea.
Fan Jingwen was grateful but not moved.
After the pleasantries, he continued, "The Jinyiwei's investigation is not over yet."
"While investigating the money and food of the feudal lords, we must also find out how many gentry and local tyrants are attached to them. Once the feudal lords start an army, these people can not only provide money and food, but also transport troops in wartime."
"After we find out the truth, we will deploy our chess pieces as soon as possible to destroy their families and their loved ones."
Chongzhen nodded solemnly: "I am very pleased with what Minister Fan said."
Fan Jingwen sighed: "I just said what I thought in my heart, I have no other intention."
Fan Jingwen meant that he did this just to cater to Chongzhen's ideas and had no intention of targeting the vassal kings.
After all, the Ming emperor in front of him was born a vassal king.
"What's next?" Chongzhen didn't take this matter to heart at all. He was not as petty as some emperors.
"Next is the second five years." When Fan Jingwen said this, he looked up at Chongzhen.
He saw perseverance and determination in the eyes of the Ming Emperor.
The last time he saw this kind of look, Li Zicheng had already captured Xuanfu and was heading straight for the capital.
There was blood and gore in the court that day.
He saw the same look again today.
Fan Jingwen knew that Chongzhen's target was not him, but the princes and royal family members who were causing trouble in the local area, exploiting the people, beating officials, and sucking the blood of the Ming Dynasty together with the local gentry and powerful people.
To be cautious, Fan Jingwen asked again: "Your Majesty, I have a question."
"Ask me, I will tell you everything."
Fan Jingwen swallowed his saliva and said, "If a rebellion breaks out during the process of reducing the power of the feudal lords, how will Your Majesty respond?"
After hearing this, Chongzhen stood up.
He walked back and forth a few steps beside the dragon desk, raised his head and looked at the sky outside the window. His deep gaze was like a sharp arrow shot from a bow, moving forward without hesitation.
He withdrew his gaze and fell on Fan Jingwen, who was already fifty-nine years old.
Chongzhen said firmly: "If any princes rebel, I will take up arms and exchange peace for it!"
Fan Jingwen finally had no worries.
He bowed deeply to Chongzhen and said, "Your Majesty, the second five years will be a reduction in power."
"First, summon those princes with problems to the capital in the name of offering sacrifices, and thoroughly investigate and punish them. Those who should return their lands should return their lands, and those who should pay back taxes should pay back their taxes."
"If anyone wants to rebel, it will be around this time."
"If everything goes well, the next step is to solve the problem of too many princes and royal family members. Your Majesty's eldest son will be named Crown Prince, and the rest of the princes will be named Princes. The princes' sons will be demoted to Princes, and the demotion will stop after four times."
"The rest of the descendants will be demoted one rank each generation, until they become commoners."
"Wait," Chongzhen stopped Fan Jingwen and asked, "How do we deal with the existing princes?"
Fan Jingwen hesitated for a moment, "What I mean is that, except for the princes who were awarded by Emperor Taizu Gao, whose titles are inherited without change, all other princes will be demoted, and the reduction will stop after four times."
"Go on." Chongzhen's expression was calm.
"As for the issue of the vassal kings' salaries, I mean to only give them money, not land."
Chongzhen interrupted Fan Jingwen's train of thought again: "If we only give money but not land, wouldn't it increase the expenditure of the princes' clan salaries?"
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